1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical connectors are known which are used to connect optical fibers together in motor vehicles or the like (refer to JP-A-2012-8253).
As shown in FIG. 8, an optical connector 501 of this type is connected to an end portion of an optical fiber cable 509 in which optical fiber core wires 507 are covered by a covering portion 505 which has a tensile strength fiber 503. The optical connector 501 has ferrules 511 which are fixed to end portions of the optical fiber core wires 507 which are exposed from the covering portion 505, a crimping sleeve 513 through which the optical fiber core wires 507 are passed and to which the covering portion 505 is fixed, and a housing 515 where the ferrules 511 and the crimping sleeve 513 are retained. The housing 515 has an accommodating recess portion 517 of which one side is opened, and the crimping sleeve 513 has a flange portion 519 which can slide from a side of the housing 515 into the accommodating recess portion 517 to be accommodated therein.
In the assembling process of the optical connector 501, a boot 521, a crimping ring 523 and the crimping sleeve 513 are sequentially passed on the end portion of the optical fiber cable 509. At the end portion of the optical fiber cable 509, the ferrules 511 are fixed to the optical fiber core wires 507 which are exposed with a sheathing 525 and the tensile strength fiber 503 removed. In the crimping process of the crimping ring 523 on to the covering portion 505, a pressure is applied to the crimping ring 523 from the circumference thereof by the use of a squeezing tool or the like with the covering portion 505 (the sheathing 525 and the tensile strength fiber 503) held between the crimping sleeve 513 and the crimping ring 523. This elastically deforms the crimping ring 523 in a direction in which the crimping ring 532 is diametrically narrowed, whereby the sheathing 525 and the tensile strength fiber 503 are secured to the outer circumference of the crimping sleeve 513 under pressure.
Then, the crimping sleeve 513 is caused to slide from the side of the housing 515 into the accommodating recess portion 517 to be accommodated therein, while the boot 521 is disposed so as to cover the crimping ring 523 and part of the optical fiber cable 509, whereby the assembly of the optical connector 501 is completed.
In the conventional optical connector 501 described above, however, since the crimping sleeve 513 and the crimping ring 523 are fixed at the same time that the sheathing 525 and the tensile strength fiber 503 which make up the covering portion 505 of the optical fiber cable 509 are held therebetween, there is produced a slip between the sheathing 525 and the tensile strength fiber 503 which are crimped at the same time. Additionally, in general, in the optical fiber cable 509, higher slip properties (lower friction properties) are imparted to the surface of the sheathing to improve the ease with which the optical fiber cable 509 is inserted or laid out. Therefore, the crimping ring 523 which is fastened on to the sheathing 525 is easy to slip. Then, with the optical connector 501 which is connected to the optical fiber cable 509, there has been a possibility that the cable tensile strength is reduced.